


Paint

by historyofamanda



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Love, Romance, Shakarian - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-21
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-07-16 12:24:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7268110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/historyofamanda/pseuds/historyofamanda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Garrus sees Shepard in an entirely new light.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Paint

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place during the events of ME2.

Garrus stood quietly in the main battery, clacking away at the keyboard. Calibrating was calming for him and an endless distraction from the dangers that awaited him whenever he stepped out of the Normandy. But lately, the calibrating had been a distraction from something that occupied his thoughts more than any collector or husk ever could.

All he could think about was how much he hoped he would hear the doors of the main battery open and see her walking in.

The way he saw Shepard changed entirely in one fateful night.

Before, she was his commander. Tough as nails, ruthless, brave. Someone to take orders from without question, someone to be respected.

A few days prior, Garrus needed to run something about the Normandy's weapons systems by Shepard and he was told she was in her cabin.

Garrus' mind was occupied with thoughts of sniper rifles, scopes, and heat clips when he knocked on her cabin door.

"Come in!" he heard her yell.

Garrus walked through the doors, not looking up from the datapad in his hand.

"Hey Shepard, I-"

He looked up and was stopped dead in his tracks. His jaw almost hit the floor when he saw her.

Shepard was in the most casual outfit he had ever seen her in. She was wearing a white tank top and short black shorts. She was barefoot and her bright red hair was tied up in a messy bun on top of her head. There was tarp all over the floor near her feet and she was covered in paint, specks of blue, red, and green all over her face and body. Her skin was sun kissed and freckles lightly covered her shoulders. She was small framed and feminine but also toned and muscular. Garrus had never seen her legs before, she was always wearing long pants or armor. In one of her hands was a large paint palette, covered with smears and globs of every color imaginable and in the other a large, thin paintbrush. A wooden easel with a large canvas on it was placed in front of her, up against the wall near her fish tank. There was a brightness and joy in her eyes Garrus had never seen before.

She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

He was speechless. He looked up at her work and any words he attempted to get out failed him yet again.

On the canvas was a warm toned painting of a fortress of sorts, a stone building with a triangular peak, covered in red and green moss and surrounded by a patch of grass. Amber colored trees surrounded the entrance to the fortress and delicate yellow flowers were scattered on the ground. A camp was set up on the ground, a small fire burning. The sky was full of sunlight. 

The painting was magnificent. It was detailed, complex, and shockingly realistic looking. Garrus wanted to jump into it and explore the warm scene, discover the secrets of the stone fortress.

Shepard looked away from her painting.

"Hi Garrus! Did you need something?"

Garrus just stood in front of the door, slack jawed and breathless.

"Umm, yeah, hey Shepard, I uh-"

 _Come on Garrus, get it together,_ he thought. _It's just Shepard, you've talked to her a million times. What's wrong with you?_

He realized at this moment he had never noticed how beautiful her red hair looked as it trickled down her face, framing her delicate cheekbones and her soft blue eyes. He suddenly noticed every freckle on her nose and cheeks and how much faster they made his heart beat.

_Spirits, she's beautiful._

Despite his racing brain, he had not actually said anything out loud.

Shepard put down her brush and palette and gave Garrus a slightly confused and amused look. 

"Garrus? Anyone in there?" she said teasingly, walking closer to him and waving her hand in front of his face.

Garrus was intoxicated by her sudden closeness but somehow found a way to remember how to speak.

"Shepard, I uh- I didn't know you painted."

Shepard looked over at her painting, a large smile on her face and pride in her eyes. 

"Oh yeah, painting has always been my thing. I always have paint on the procurement list and I keep an easel and canvases in my closet. I rarely have time to do it, but I try to whenever I have some free time. Before I joined the military I painted constantly. I used to sell my paintings as my spending money when I was a teenager. If I hadn’t done the military thing I would’ve probably ended up a painter."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Garrus said, still visibly stunned.

Shepard thought about it for a moment and laughed. "You know, I'm not exactly sure. I definitely wasn't trying to hide it or anything, but the fact that the Commander paints isn't really a topic that comes up too often when we're working on destroying the collectors."

Garrus laughed softly. Shepard cracked a shy smile at his laugh and their eyes met. Their eye contact lingered a little longer than normal, and they both looked away quickly.

 _That look in his eyes. He looked at me like...no way._ Shepard thought, her cheeks burning red.

"You're amazing." Garrus said. Caught off guard by his own words, he cleared his throat and added quickly, “I mean, your painting is amazing. Not that you're not-um-you're incredibly talented. I had no idea."

Shepard had never seen Garrus like this. He was flustered, tongue tied, and very nervous. He was acting nothing like the sarcastic, sharp witted, tough turian she had always known. She was finding that she liked seeing him like this.

"Thank you! That means a lot." Shepard said, looking lovingly at her easel. "I'm calling it "Skyhold". It's one of my favorites."

"I always wanted to learn to paint." Garrus said, his eyes still locked on Shepard. He tried in vain to subtly take her all in, admiring every inch of her. He was staring, but he didn’t care.

Shepard's heart started to race. She cleared her throat softly.  
"Well, um, maybe I could teach you one day?"

Garrus’ thoughts raced. _Another chance to be with her? Yes. Anything to see her like this again._

Garrus' eyes softened. "I would love that."

It had been a few days since that encounter and all Garrus could think about was her. Even calibrating couldn't distract him from his thoughts. He wondered how soft her cheek would feel on his fingers, how warm her body would feel pressed up against his...

The main battery door opened with a swish, and there she was.

Garrus turned around and his heart lept.

Today she wore a loose black tank top, purple leggings, and flat black ballet slippers. Her hair was in a soft ponytail and a single lock of red hair cascaded gently down her face. She was holding an easel and a bag filled with canvas, paint, and a palette.

"Ready for your first lesson, Garrus?"

Garrus was overjoyed that she was here with him, but sick to his stomach nervous all at the same time.

"Um, yeah, sure, but I'm not prepared or anything..."

"Don't be silly!" Shepard said, smiling brightly. Her big bright smile made him feel weak and he held onto the main battery's console for support.

Shepard looked Garrus over and shook her head.  
"Those clothes won't do. Do you have anything you aren't afraid to get dirty?" She said with a sly grin.

 _Is she...flirting with me?_ Garrus thought, then he shook his head. _Not possible. No way she sees me like that._

"Umm, yeah. Sure. Give me one second." Garrus walked to the back of the main battery to change.

He emerged wearing a black tank top and dark grey pants. 

Shepard was taken completely aback by the sight, almost never having seen Garrus out of his armor. Garrus was always seen as being a big guy (all turian males were pretty large compared to human men), but Garrus was particularly big and tall. Shepard had always had a thing for tall men and she gulped loudly when she saw him. She had previously found turian men attractive, but never like this. Her mind raced. She desperately wanted to touch him.

Shepard found herself lost in her thoughts. _There's no way he's interested in me. We've been just friends for years and he's never seemed attracted to me at all. Except maybe for the other night when he...no way. I must've been mistaken._

Nervous energy filled the room. It was almost palpable.

Shepard set up all the painting supplies and they got to work.

About an hour had passed and Shepard was impressed with Garrus' progress. He had painted half of a river landscape scene. It looked great for someone who had never painted before. He said a river near his hometown on Palaven had been his inspiration. Seeing the big turian holding a paintbrush and painting something so delicate was both sort of amusing but also very sweet and endearing. He was a natural.

Shepard walked up beside Garrus and got close to his canvas, studying it carefully. She brushed Garrus' arm in the progress, causing a jolt of electric energy to rush through both of them.

Garrus’ head was swirling. _Damn it, Vakarian. You'll never know if you don't try._

"Thank you for this, Shepard. You're a great teacher." Garrus said, his voice warm and smooth. If one thing made Shepard weak in the knees, it was this exact tone of his voice. She thought his voice was incredibly sexy even before the last few days. She was melting.

Shepard looked up into Garrus' eyes. He was much taller than her and his presence overwhelmed her.

"You're welc-"

Garrus leaned down and pulled her face up to his and kissed her deeply. Shepard's arms wrapped around his waist in response, pulling herself as close as he could to him. Garrus put his hand in her hair and pushed their lips closer together. Shepard melted into his kiss, exhaling softly. They moved over to the main console and Shepard backed up into it for stability as their kisses grew more intense. Their need for eachother was powerful, and neither of them had even realized it until just a few days ago. They both fell fast and fell hard.

After what seemed like hours, their lips moved apart and they both stood still, holding eachother and drinking in the moment. 

Shepard looked up at Garrus and smiled, her eyes aflame.

"I forgot, I have something for you."

"For me?" Garrus responded, curious. His mind was on fire and all he wanted to do was get her back in his arms.

Shepard reached into the large bag she had brought in with her and pulled out a rectangular package wrapped in paper.

"Sorry I couldn't wrap it better. Not a lot of ribbons and bows available on the Normandy." Shepard said, her cheeks burning red.

Garrus chuckled and took the gift from her. He carefully unwrapped it.

"Skyhold."

Garrus was touched deeply by the gift and looked warmly at the art in his hands.

"Thank you so much Shepard. I will always cherish this." Her heart swelled at his words.

He quickly hung up the piece on the wall near the door of the battery and then scooped Shepard up again with one arm. She loved how strong he was, how effortlessly their bodies moved together.

"Promise me you'll come back for more lessons?" Garrus said, placing his hand on her cheek.

Shepard leaned into his touch and placed her hand on his, never wanting this moment to end. His touch was warm, perfect, and all hers. She moved her lips close to his and smiled.

"I promise."


End file.
